I Need A Hero!

Don’t we all feel that way sometimes? Can’t you hear the song from the classic teen-movie Footloose? (Loved the re-make, by the way.) But really, when life gets messy, complicated, or even just too boring, we all want someone to ride in and make it all better – or at the very least, offer up a worthy distraction.

Some days, coffee is my hero. It perks me up (pun intended) and keeps me revved as I juggle the needs of greyhounds, cats, and birds with the needs of my current work in progress.

A few days ago I got slammed with more bad news about my back. Furious with the world, I wished for a hero like Optimus Prime who rips out the spine of his nemesis at the end of Transformers 3. Accepting the impossibility of that was easier than accepting the all-too-real medical voice of doom, so I turned to my kindle and let the dynamic, bigger than life heroes of a couple of historical novels, soothe me as nothing ‘real’ could.

Some days the perfect hero is an indulgent daydream or screen shot of any (or all) of the Avengers heroes, even the notorious Black Widow. Hey, female heroines are just as vital to my books as they are to my way of thinking in the real world.

If it weren’t for female heroines in the form of authors, science pioneers, talented current physicians, and women who’ve overcome impossible odds, my own journey (personally and professionally) would be a lot more challenging.

And some days, the hero I need is as close as the work in progress… Take a look at this excerpt from The Matchmaker’s Curse and get another glimpse of Mac, the stubborn and heroic Scot, who is reluctant to accept his role as the Matchmaker’s bodyguard:

Amy weighed the pros and cons of having a home base in Florida while Gilly explained her reasoning to a skeptical Mac.

“How in the bloody hell do you expect to keep her presence a secret in the busiest place on earth?”

Amy did a double take. She felt as if he’d shouted, but he hadn’t raised his voice at all.

Duncan, sitting on the other end of the sofa with Guinness between them, leaned closer. “It’s a powerful skill that will come in handy more often than not.”

“Shut up, Duncan.”

“I won’t. You’re scaring the women-folk.”

Amy winced at the nasty glare Mac shot his brother. “You were scared of said ‘women-folk’ not more than a few hours ago if I recall.”

“Maybe I should tag along and shield them from your nasty moods,” Duncan offered.

“No,” Mac barked. “You’ll stay here and keep things in order for my return. I’m not losing the whole of my life for this ridiculous lark.”

Amy wondered if her similar declarations had irritated Dare as much as Mac was irritating her. “You being the bodyguard wasn’t my idea.”

He arched a dark brow. “Wasn’t it?”

“Well, fine. Before I knew better it seemed like a logical solution…”

Stay tuned for more from the upcoming novel, The Matchmaker’s Curse, and as always,